There is a good chance the Las Vegas Raiders use their No. 6 overall pick to invest in defense. A name that has been on the silver and black's radar is that of Mason Graham, former stalwart defensive tackle at Michigan.
Graham is considered among the best defenders in the draft, right up there with Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. While he might not be in their tier, Graham ranks highly as a special talent. He is set to visit Tuesday, per reports.
Per Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman, Graham is quite better than his peers at several aspects of playing the position.
First, there is his burst.
"Graham’s burst and explosiveness at a reported playing weight of around 315 pounds was tough for college offensive linemen to handle for the past three seasons," wrote Wasserman. "That caliber of explosiveness has allowed him not only to function as a 3-technique but all over the line of scrimmage. He even took some reps as a stand-up edge rusher this season and was prominently featured as the looper on stunts. Most defensive tackles simply don’t move the way Graham does."
Graham also has incredible bend for his frame, making him a leverage nightmare for opposing blockers.
"Graham’s shorter arm length means he needs to find other ways to win," Wasserman wrote. "One of those is with quickness, as stated above. The other is to play with enough bend, leverage and relentlessness to work underneath blockers who have a length advantage. Graham does the latter particularly well in the run game as he penetrates into the backfield and pursues the football."
Graham possesses an arsenal of moves as an attacker, but his swim move is markedly better than anyone else in the 2025 defensive tackle class. It is a product of his bend, burst, and incredible footwork.
"Graham’s hands are as quick as his feet, which is much needed, considering he lacks length in his arms," wrote Wasserman. "He makes it work, though, with an extremely tight swim move that allows him to penetrate into the backfield seemingly at will. Graham’s ability to use his tools to his advantage is why he is clearly the best defensive tackle in this class."
